Steering apparatus for flying-machines.



. ment, such stabilizing element' either acts pilot as well as thesteering device operated .ing at Vienna, Empire of Austria-Hungary,

the pilot or the stabilizing element also acts y same steering elements,the one Steering de- -diagrammatical side elevation partly in sec- PIUSBIIDL, Y0F VIENNA, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

S'JEEIRING .AIIEARATUSvy FOR FLYING-MACHINES.

Speeication of `Letters-Patent.

Patented July 11, 1911.

Application led October 26, 1909.l Serial No. 524,737.

To allfwhom it concern.'

Be it known that I, Pros B-EIDL, a subject of 'the Emperor ofAustria-Hungary, resid-` have invented certain vnew and usefulImprovements in Steering Apparatus for Flying-Machines; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a'full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the artto which itappertains to make and use the same.

In the automatic steering or stabilizing apparatus heretofore known forflying machines, in which steering elements or surfaces are acted uponby a pendulum or` the like hereinafter called the stabilizing eleuponseparate steering elements independent from thosewhich are under thecontrol of upon the steering elements controlled by the pilot. In' thelatter case, however, any adjustment of the steering elements effectedby the pilot also brings about a change of position of the stabilizingelement.

The object of my invent-ion is to provide a steering apparatus forflying machines in which the steering device controlled by the by thestabilizingelement always act on the vice not interfering with theother, the automatic stabilizing element coming into operation only whenthe flying machine changes its position.

' In the annexed drawings Figure 1 is'a tion and Fig. 2 a similar planpartly in section illustratin by way of example onev constructionalorm-of my improved steering apparatus. Fig. 3 shows the arrange ment ofmy improved steering apparatus in a fiying machine.

1, 1 are two shafts in line with each other, their neighborin ends beinjournale'd in sockets 3 on a tu e 2. 4 is t e steering rod passinglongitudinally through and adapted to turn withinl such tube butprevented from sliding longitudinally therein; the rod 4 is also adaptedto be locked, preferably automatically, in any position imparted to itby the pilot; the locking device, not shown, may be of any suitableconstruction; it may for instance consist of a pawl and ratchet gear orthe like.

6 is a yoke freely suspended on the shafts l and 7 is a stud secured tothe yoke; the geometrical axes of the stud 7 and the steering rod are inone vertical plane.

8 is a pendulum free to revolve around the stud 7 and carrying at itslowerend a weight or gyroscope 9.

10 is a bevel wheel fastA on the pendulum .and free to revolve on thestud 7. The bevel side of a double bevel wheel 14 loose on theshaft 1,the other side of the wheel 14 engaging into a bevel wheel 15 fast onthe steering rod 4. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 there is provided such asetv of bevel gears 11, 12, 13, 14 on each of the shafts 1 and the twosets of bevel gears are symmetrically arranged relatively to the tube2and rod 4.

In Fig. 3 ofthe drawing I have shown the steering elements 16 and 17connected to the outer ends of the shafts 1 1.

The operationof this apparatus is as follows: If the flying machinechanges its position owing to any external force, then also the pendulumwill change its position owing to the actionof the weight or gyroscope9. Supposing that in changing its position the flying machine turnsthrough an angle around its longitudinal axis then the pendulum willturn under the action of gravity around the stud 7 and thus tend to turnthe bevel wheels 13 through. the medium of the bevel wheels 10, 11 and12. But as the rod 4 is locked in its position as above stated and hencealso the bevel wheel 15 fast on it and the wheels 14 engaging into thewheel 15 are prevented from revolving, therefore the wheels 13 on beingturned by the pendulum will roll along the bevelwheels 14 whereby theshafts, of the 'wheels and hence also the shafts 1 will be turned inopposite directions and by these shafts the A.steering elements 16 17connected with them willbe adjusted in opposite directions, so that theycause the flying machine to return into the position corresponding tothe position of the steering rod 4. If on the other hand the flyingmachine in accidentally changing its position turns through an anglearound its transverse axis,` then the pendulum will swing in the`planepassing through the geometrical axes of the stud 7 and the steering rod4 and .thereby turn the yoke 6 and the wheels 10, 11 and 12 around theshafts 1. The Wheels 12 turn the wheels 13 and these roll along thewheels 14, the latter being locked owing to the fact that the steeringrod 4 and therefore also the wheel 15 are locked in position. Thus theshafts 1 will be turned by the shafts of the wheels 13 but in this casethe shafts 1 and the steering elements connected thereto are turned inthe same direction. If the Ipilot wishes to use the apparatus forhorizontal steering then he turns the -rod 4 around its longitudinalaxis whereby the wheels 14 are turned through the medium of the wheel15. But as the wheels 14 mesh into the wheels 13 and the pendulumprevents the wheels 13 from revolving around their axis by means of thewheels 10, 11 and 12 the latter meshing with the wheels 13, thereforethe wheels 13 must roll along the wheels 12 and thus cause the shafts 1to turn in opposite direction. If the pilot wishes to use the apparatusfor vertical steering he turns the rod 4 together with the tube 2together with the wheels 15 and 14 around the shafts 1, the Wheels 18being prevented from revolving around the axes by the pendulum as aboveset forth, they must roll along the wheels 12 whereby both shafts 1 areturned in the same direction.

It is evident that after any steering or change of position of theflying, machine caused by the pilot the automatic steering caused by thependulum comes into eifect through the diiferential gearing hereinbeforedescribed and causes the shafts 1 to turn, so that the final position ofthe steering elements or surfaces is the resultant of the coperation ofthe automatic steering action and the action brought about by the pilotindependently of the former. If, however, the flying machine isaccidentally thrown out of the position vcorresponding to the positionof the steering rod the automatic steering comes into operation andtends to return the fiying machine into the position corresponding tothe position of the steering rod by adjusting the steering elements.4Therefore by the present apparatus the flying machine is stabilized inany desired position. l

Instead of the bevel wheel differential gear hereinbefore described byway of example, a friction gear might be used or the same efect might beobtained by a dii'erential link and lever gear or a differential pulleygear.

laims:

1. In a steering apparatus for flying machines the combination ofsteering elements, a steering rod and means, comprising shafts anddierential gears connected therewith, for connecting such steering rodwith the steering elements whereby t-he said steering elements areadjusted at the/will of thel operator, with a device mounted on theflying machine and adapted to locate itself in an invariable position inspace automatically and independently of the position of the steeringrod and with meanscoperating with said differential gears whereby thesteering elements are adjusted according to the position of such devicerelatively to the flying machine, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

2. In a steering apparatus for lfiying machines the combination of twosteering elements, two shafts in line with each other and each connectedto one of the steering elements, a steering rod adapted to turn aroundthe common axis of the said shafts and to turn around its ownlongitudinal axis, a Wheel fast on the steering rod, a differential gearmounted on each of the said shafts, each such diit'erential gearcomprising an inner wheel and an outer wheel loose on the shaft and anidler wheel engaging with the said inner and the said outer wheel andloose on a stud fast on the shafts, the said wheel fast on the steeringrod engaging with the inner wheels of both diiferential gears, a devicemounted in the flying machine and adapted to locate itself inan'invariable position in space automatically and independently of theposit-ion of the steering rod, such device being free. to turn around astud in a yoke loose on the said shafts, such stud being in one planewith the steering rod and a Wheel fast on said device and in engagementwith the outer wheels of the said differential gears, substantially asand for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PIUS BEIDL. Witnesses:

ARTHUR BAUMANN, AUGUST FUGGER.

